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Life  Sketch  Pev.  Jess#  Head,  *,ho  Married  President  Lincoln* s  8ja- 

rents. 

In  the  savage-infested  days  of  the  District  of  Kentucky  wnen  the  Indian 
wigwams  were  often  in  sight,  and  when  the  roads  were  only  paths 
rii  red  wider  from  the  existing  traces,  or  roads,  beaten  down  by  the 
travel  of  wild  animals;  the  itinerant  preacher  was  about  in  t  e  track- 
less  forest  Proo  I  a?>  mi  nr  to  the  settlers  a  salvation  tnat  will  abide 
until  judgment  day.  The  big  hea-ted  and  noble  pioneers  were  so  overjoy¬ 
ed  at  the  coming  of  an  itinerant  preacher  that  when  one  did  visit  the 
settlement  and  Preach  a  sermon  from  two  to  three  hours  in  length,  it 
was  a  great  occasion. 

Pev.  Jesse  Head  in  the  infant  hours  of  the  newly  formed  State,  and  of 
*ashin  ton  County —  first  county  formed  a  ter  admission  —encountered 
as  many  dangers,  and  preached  as  realistic  a  gospel  as  any  valiant 
messenger  in  the  service.  His  benevolence  included  tie  *ood  of  the 
whole  human  race. 

These  six  sketches  will  endeavor  to  give  the  recorded  events  found  in 
the  Washington  County  Court,  or  elsewhere,  concerning  Jesse  Head  as 
a  Magistrate,  and  will  also  review  his  ministerial  areer  as  a. 
champion  for  truth.  Ke  dispensed  the  decisions  of  law,  necessary  to 
his  office  of  Magistrate,  with  eminent  ability  and  perfect  justice;  and 
his  amiable  and  ocncilitory  temper  enabled  him  to  exert  a  substan¬ 
tial  influence  in  helping  establish  the  cause  of  Christianity  within 

the  confines  of  the  newly  formed  State. 

P  it  has  been  a  far  flight  of  time  since  the  days  when  Rev.  Jesse  Head 

.  • 

was  protected  from  the  murderous  Indians  by  a  sentinel  aw-  ©h  wit-i  the 
J  loin  barrel  flint-lock  rifle;  While  the  rood  man  discoursed  to  t!  set¬ 
tlers  congregated  within  the  fort;  down  to  the  year  of  192T,  and  in 
consequence  of  such  lapse  of  time,  tradition  must  be  depended  upon,  in 

s  me  instances,  to  complete  a  review. 

The  fact  tv>at  Pev.  Jesse  Head  performed  the  carriage  ceremony  on  June  12, 
1806,  that  united  President  Lincoln's  parents,  which  record  of  said  mar- 

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world  believed  for  over  three  generations  that  no  narrlaje  had  in  faot 
been  performed,  such  discovery  of  the  renuine  record  by  .T.  Booker 
court  official,  immortalized  the  name  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head  in  the  riches 
of  hsitorical  recital.  The  earliest  events  of  record  concerning  rev.Jesse 

Head  are  as  follows  - 

Rev,  Jesse  ^Head  was  born  near  Baltimore,  m.  on  Jen.  28,  Wt,  and  at  the 
aje  of  22  years  was  carried  to  ,'iss  Jar.c  Ramsey  ,  >  ■  county, 

Perm.  His  children,  and  their  Myths  will  be  liven  in  the  next 

sketch* 

Discussing  Rev.  Jesse  Head,  it  appears  he  cane  to  Kentucky  and  first  set_ 
tied  upon  a  farm  of  "BO  acres  of  second  rate  land,  situ ted  on  Road  run" 
some  distance  from  Sprint field,  -Mhinrton  County.  This  above  farm  of 
Josso  Head's  was  located  in  the  midst  of  the  'Unooln's  and  Berry's'. 
Rev.  Jesse  Head  obtained  the  aforesaid  farm  from  Benjamin  Heroin, and 
the  latter  Orlfinally  was  the  locator  of  the  land.  Of  course, the 
•50  acres"  was  a  portion  sold  off  by  Benjamin  Hardin  from  a  lay  e 
survey  patented  by  Benjamin  Hardin  from  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia 
in  173-4.  The  aforesaid  Benjamin  Hardin  was  not  1'  "  la  yer  -  nac». 

iater  in  Ufe  Rev.  Jesse  Head  when  "Most  constantly  elated  in  cabi¬ 
net  work,  in  deposition  taking  and  also  bavins  a  license  to  preach, much 
of  his  time  war,  used  in  rollfous  work,  consequently  he  y  ove  from 
his  farm  and  took  up  a  permanent  residence  in  sprinsfleM.  fhis  removal 
must  hav-  been  in  .'arch  1708,  because  la  8  Court  Martial  proceeding  H*r 
1708,  Jesse  Head  beim  a  witness  for  one  "John  Brazelton" ,  mentions  his 

(Head)  residence  “now  in  SprinsfieldfKyB, 

,  n«k«  Taq-e  Head  «ave  the  following  assessment  list: 

in  1797  dnd  1799  Rev*  J es'  8  neclu  * 

•  April  13*  1707.  50  acres  second  rate  land,  upon  :;c  -  ~  ™»  - 

patent  obtained  in  name  of  Benjamin  Hardin.  Horse  I". 

Some  wnere  in  these  assessment  lists,  the  exact  one  1  can  not  state, upon 
the  line  on  which  appears  the  name  of  "Jesse  Head*,  and  in  the  col¬ 
umn  wherein  is  desifnated  in  the  said  asessment  "hoysos  or  mares", some 
person  in  a  spirit  of  mischief,  no  aoubt,  in  a  different  ink,  opposite 
the  word  .mare"  wrote  "sra",  which  I  take  to  mean  that  Jesse  Head's 


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steed  was  a  "  ra»(y)  mare* 

"June  1 ,  1799,  Assessment  list  of  Jesse  Head*  Same  50  acres.  And  in 
addition  is  listed  "  2  torn  lots,  houses  2".  The  old  patriot  in  two 
ion  years  acquired  "two  torn  lots”  and  an  extra"  horse"  to  his  for¬ 
tune.  T  venture  the  opinion,  although  unable  to  prove  it,  that  the 
extra  ;,horse"  was  the  "gray  mare’s"  colt*  But  bear  in  mind,  he  was 
a  Methodist  preacher,  poor  in  this  world’s  foods,  but  rich  in  the 

Spirit  of  God* 

in  1799  "Bi*rer  Head"  died  in  Washington  County,  and  he  left  a  wide?? 

"Priscilla" •  I  believe  "Pilfer"  and  "Jesse"  were  brothers,  yet  when 
t70  the  fact  that  "Birger"  left  200  acres  of  land  and  "negroes 

9«,  the  mind  is  not  clear  upon  the  point*  Rev.  Jesse  Head  was  opposed 
to  slavery  in  all  forms,  and  among  others  endeavored  to  get  a 
Provision  in  Kentucky* n  Constitution,  prohibiting  slavery, 
fhe  various  orders  concerning  Jesse  Head  found  in  the  Washington  County 

Court,  (!ry)  rre  as  follows  : 


"Nov.  7,  1797,  Ordered  that  the  Clerk  (of  the  court)  bind  Eavid  Hod¬ 
man,  orphan  of  Alexander  Hodman  deceased,  to  Jesse  Head  to  learn 
the  art  of  a  cabinet  maker.  She  said  David  to  stay  with  the  said 
Head  for  three  and  a  half  years,  and  said  Head  to  find  him  in  vlot*- 
uals  and  one  pair  of  sloes  a  year,  and  at  his  freedom  said  Head  to  find 
him  a  jointer ,  foreplane,  jack  and  ^  smod thins  plane-’.  *hiie  this 
good  man  seemed  a  little  short  on  shoes,  yet  a  pair  a  year  was  then 


the  custom. 

"Jan  6,  1798.  Jesse  Head  produced  in  court  a  commission  authenticated 
so  the  law  requires  appointing  the  said  Jesse  Head  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace  for  Washington  (County)  and  took  the.  oath  of  office  beiore 

Trammel  Hichman"  ( Clerk )• 

(To  be  continued  April  8,  1921  )• 


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^  ARTICLE  IN  THE  LEBANON,  (KY.,)  ENTERPRISE,  APRIL  8,  1921. 

Life  Sketches  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head,  Who  Married  President  Lincoln's  Parents 

BY  L.  S.  PENCE. 


An  error  in  the  first  sketch  con¬ 
cerning  the  birth  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head 
calls  for  an  exact  copy  as  follows 
(hand  write  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head) : 

“Jesse  Head,  son  of  William 
Edward  Head,  was  born  June  10, 
1768,  in  Frederick  county,  Maryland.” 

“Jane  Ramsey,  daughter  of  Robert 
and  Susanah  Ramsey,  born  April  19, 
1772,  in  Bedford  county,  Penn.” 

“Jesse  Head  and  Jane  Ramsey 
were  married  by  Rev.  Bruce  on  Jan. 
9,  1789.” 

Issue  of  Rev.  Jesse  and  Jane  Head: 

“William  Edward  Head,  b.  Feb.  19, 
1790,  baptised  by  Rev.  Michael  Land.” 

“Jane  Smith  Head,  b.  April  29, 
1792,  bap.  by  Rev.  Simmons,”  married 
Wm.  H.  Linney. 

“Robert  Head,  b.  June  24,  1794, 
bap.  by  Rev.  Thomas  Wilkerson 
(died  young). 

“John  Head,  b.  August  24,  1796, 
bap.  by  Rev.  Thomas  Wilkerson.” 

“Jesse  Thompson  Head,  b.  Decem¬ 
ber  29,  1798,  bap.  by  Rev.  John 
Page.” 

“Susanah  Ramsey  Head,  b.  May  22, 
1803,  bap.  by  Rev.  Wm.  McKendre.” 

“George  McKendre  Head,  b.  August 
22,  1805,  bap.  by  Rev.  Wm.  Burke.” 

“Thomas  Jefferson  Head,  b.  Sept¬ 
ember  5,  1807,  bap.  by  Rev.  Wm. 
Burke.” 

“Mathew  Walton  Head,  b.  Septem¬ 
ber  11,  1809,  bap.  by  Rev.  Chas. 
Halliday.” 

“Mary  Head,  b.  December  30,  1810, 
bap.  by  Rev.  Wm.  McKendre.” 

“Harriett  Wilde  Head,  b.  November 
16, 1812,  bap.  by  Rev.  Chas.  Halliday,” 
married  VerBryke. 

“Edward  Bascom  Head,  b.  June  1, 
1817,  bap.  by  Rev.  Wm.  McKendre,” 
married  Mary  Minter. 

The  research  for  the  grandchildren, 
great  grand  children  and  even  the 
great  great  grandchildren  of  Rev.' 
Jesse  and  Jane  Head  has  been  only 
partially  successful.  In  fact,  to 
accomplish  the  undertaking  to  find 
them  all  would  necessarily  require  the 
services  of  a  stenographer  for  a 
space  of  weeks.  In  the  research  just 
finished  I  must  acknowledge  the 
politeness  of  all  interrogated,  and 
thank  each  for  the  courtesy  in  giving 
whatever  facts  they  possessed. 

I  am  gratified  to  announce  that 
Mrs.  Sidney  Elizabeth  Brown,  a 
granddaughter  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head  is 
still  alive,  hale  and  hearty,  at  the 
age  of  75  years,  at  her  home  in 
Indiana.  Her  father  was  Edward 
Bascom  Head,  who  was  a  printer  and 
located  many  years  ago  in  Harrods- 
burg,  Ky.,  but  a  few  years  after  the 
death  of  his  eminent  father,  he 
joined  the  “Head  hosts”  in  their 
journeyings  to  the  west.  Mrs.  Brown 
was  born  in  Harrodsburg,  Ky.  She 
is  the  mother  of  four  daughters  and 
two  sons.  Also  she  has  several 
grandchildren  and  two  great  grand¬ 
children.  Mrs.  Brown  has  from  her 
girlhood  days  kept  the  faith  of 
Methodism.  For  the  valuable  aid 
extended  me  by  Mrs.  Brown  and  her 
daughters  I  am  grateful. 

It  is  due  that  I  especially  mention 
two  great  great  granddaughters  of 
Rev.  Jesse  Head  and  wife,  namely: 
Mrs.  D.  M.  Hutton  and  Miss  Birdie 
Linney.  The  former  is  the  wife  of 
the  owner  of  the  “Herald”  at  Har¬ 
rodsburg,  Ky.  To  Miss  Linney  I  am 
indebted  for  the  information  that, 
lead  to  my  finding  the  true  facts 
relative  to  Rev.  Jesse  Head.  Their 


father  was  Marcus  Linney,  who  was 
for  many  years  the  capable  assistant 
to  Hon.  John  R.  Proctor,  State 
Geologist.  As  such  assistant,  Marcus 
Linney  made  valuable  research  and 
extended  the  range  of  investigation 
to  high  success  in  that  office.  The 
State  Historical  Register,  in  its 
Januai’y,  1921,  number,  published  an 
extended  sketch  of  Marcus  Linney. 

Many  of  the  children  of  Rev.  Jesse 
Head  and  wife,  after  the  death  of 
their  devoted  parents,  moved  to 
Illinois  and  Indiana.  I  am  inclined 
to  the  firm  belief  their  purpose  in 
going  west  was  to  follow  their 
childhood  friends  —  the  Lincoln 
children.  Children  of  Josiah  Lincoln, 
Mordica  Lincoln  and  Thomas  Lincoln. 
The  early  voices  of  these  children 
mingled  in  youthful  merriment  along 
the  rugged  banks  of  “Road  Run.” 

It  appears  that  Edward  Bascom 
Head,  the  printer  son  of  Rev.  Jesse 
Head,  is  the  only  one  of  his  children 
that  I  have  succeeded  in  obtaining  a 
complete  list.  His  wife  was  Mary 
Minter  (married  1835)  and  their  issue 
follows: 

(1)  Sarah  Jane  Head,  married 
Peter  Brown.  (2)  James  Lowell 
Head,  married  Laura  Linney.  (3) 
Jesse  McKendre  Head,  died  unmar¬ 
ried.  (4)  Robert  Ferguson  Head, 
married  Josephine  Randall.  (5) 
Edward  Bascom  Head,  married  a 
widow,  Mrs.  Carter.  (6)  Sidney 
Elizabeth  Head,  married  Nicholas 
Brown.  (7)  LaFayette  Marshall 
Head,  died  unmarried.  (8)  Mary 
Ellen  Head,  died  unmarried.  (9) 
William  Trainer  Head,  married 
Elizabeth  Freeman.  In  the  foregoing 
list  I  have  made  mention  of  Mrs. 
Nicholas  Brown.  I  shall  refer 
briefly  to  Rev.  Edward  .  Bascom 
Head,  who  was  a  presiding  elder  in 
the  Kentucky  Methodist  Conference 
in  1881-2.  He  served  as  postmaster 
at  Harrodsburg,  Ky.,  for.'  several 
years.  He  died  in  1886,  aged  44, 
while  attending  a  session  of  the 
Methodist  Conference  at  Winchester, 
Ky.  He  left  a  son  and  a  daughter, 
both  are  living  and  married.  ■.  If  it 
could  be  possible,  I  would  like  to  see 
a  complete  family  tree  from  Rev; 
Jesse  Head  and  wife  until  the  year 
1921.  However,  if  any  branch  of 
this  family  wish  recognition,  and  will 
furnish  a  true  list  to  the  writer,  they 
will  be  given  a  place  at  the  beginning 
of  the  third  sketch. 

The  list  copied  at  the  beginning  of 
this  sketch,  containing  the  names  and 
dates  of  the  births  of  the  children  of 
Rev.  Jesse  Head  and  wife,  was 
written  down,  over  a  century  ago,  by 
the  hand  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head  for  the 
information  of  all  future  generations 
of  his  family.  The  family  record 
also  shows  who  “baptised’  each  child, 
and  today  such  list  bespeaks 
ministers  of  the  Gospel  that  time 
long  ago  erased  from  the  face  of  the 
earth.  Such  family  record  also 
reminds  the  reader  that  Rev.  Jesse 
Head  named  a  son  “Mathew  Walton” 
after  the  pre-eminent  Commander  of 
the  4th  Regiment  Kentucky  Militia, 
Colonel  Mathew  Walton;  one  of  the 
best  and  purest  moral  men  of  pioneer 
days  in  Washington  county.  When 
Washington  was  formed  in  1792, 
Governor  Isaac  Shelby  established 
Mathew  Walton  at  the  head  of  the 
first  court,  and  made  him  “Chan¬ 
cellor”  in  equity.  Many  writers  have 
touched  upon  the  splendid  life  of 


Mathew  Walton.  The  Rev.  Jesse 
Head  knew  men  from  every  angle  of 
their  worth, :  and  impelled  by  that 
foundation  of  friendship  and  worth 
for  such  an  eminent  commander, 
named  his  son  for  said  excellent 
pioneer.  Rev.  Jesse  Head  was  the 
friend  of  every  good  cause,  and  was 
among  the  many  early  advocates  for 
abolishing  slavery  in  the  new-born 
State  of  Kentucky  at  its  first  Con¬ 
stitutional  Convention. 

In  the  first  sketch  the  suggestion 
was  indulged  that  likely  “Biggar 
Head,  Sr.,”  and  Rev.  Jesse  Head  were 
brothers.  Such  is  not  the  fact.  In 
the  settlement  of  “Biggar  Head’s” 
estate  (1799)  the  fact  is  shown  that 
the  latter  came  from  North  Carolina 
to  “Nelson  county”  in  1790.  We  find 
that  William  Edward  Head  died  in 
Washington  county  in  November 
1798;  and  it  is  probable  that  the 
decedent  and  Rev.  Jesse  Head  were 
brothers,  because  the  fact  will  be 
recalled  that  Rev.  Jesse  Head’s  father 
was  “William  Edward  Head,”  and 
it  might  be  consistently  believed  that 
the  decedent,  William  Edward  Head, 
who  died  in  Washington  county,  was 
named  for  his  own  father  (and  Rev. 
Jesse  Head’s)  back  yonder  in 
Frederick  county,  Maryland.  The 
aforesaid  suggestion  may  be  re¬ 
enforced  when  the  record  of  the 
Washington  County  Court  on  April 
2,  1799,  shows  that  William  Edward 
Head  age  (16)  and  Thomas  Edward 
Head  (age  14),  infant  sons  of 
decedent  William  Edward  Head,  came 
into  the  court  and  made  “choice  of 
Jesse  Head  as  guardian”  of  their 
small  estate.  Said  court  order  also 
further  reads  in  this  language: 
“Ordered  that  the  clerk  (of  the  court) 
bind  William  Edward  Head  and 
Thomas  Edward  Head,  orphans  of 
William  Edward  Head,  deceased,  to 
Jesse  Head  to  learn  the -art  of  a 
cabinet  maker  according  to  law,  and 
said  Jesse  Head  i  to  learn  the  said 
apprentices  to  read'  and  write  and 
cipher  to  the  rule  of  three,  and  said 
Jesse  Head  is  to  furnish  wearing 
apparel  and  also  find  -  them  in 
victuals.”  As  before  stated,  I  am  of 
the  opinion  that  Rev.  Jesse  Head  was 
the  uncle  of  the  aforesaid  orphan 
boys.  Be  it  ever  said  to  the  memory 
of/  Rev.  Jesse  Head  as  far  as  the 
court  orders  -  show  that  he  was  faith¬ 
ful  and  sincere  to  every  trust.-  “Our 
own  heart,  and  >  not  ,  other  •  men’s 
opinions,  forms  our  true -honor.”  ;  > 

Again  Thomas  Edward  Head,  who 
was  one  of  the  early,  jailers  of 
Washington  county,  had  a  son  named 
Richard  Berry  Head,  and  it  is 
probable  that  Thomas  Edward  Head 
married  a  daughter  of  old  man 
Richard  Berry,  Sr.,  and  the  fact  will 
be  brought  to  mind  that  Richard 
Berry’s,  Sr.,  wife  was  an  aunt  to  Miss 
Nancy  Hanks,  and  Thomas  Lincoln 
married  Nancy  Hanks  and  Rev. 
Jesse  Head  united  Thomas  Lincoln 
and  Nancy  Hanks  in  the  bonds  of 
matrimony  (June  12,  1806),  so  it 
would  baffle  a  Phiadelphia  lawyer  to 
unearth  just  exactly  ho«r  the  Heads, 
Hanks,  Berrys  and  Lincolns  were 
intermingled  in  the  sphere  of  rela¬ 
tionship  in  the  pioneer  days  of 
Washington  county. 

This  ends  the  Rev.  Jesse  Head 
family  research  unless  some  branch 
sends  in  the  list  pertaining  to  that 
definite  branch  for  the  beginning  of 
the  third  sketch. 

(To  be  continued  May  13,  1921.) 


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>y\0  ,  ^  '  ARTICLE  IN  THE  LEBANON,  (KY.,)  ENTERPRISE,  MAY  13,  1921. 

Life  Sketches  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head,  Who  Married  President  Lincoln’s  Parents 


BY  L.  S.  PENCE. 


Going  back  and  taking  up  the 
orders  of  the  Washington  County 
Court  where  the  same  were  left  off 
in  the  first  sketch,  these  orders 
continue  as  follows: 


“Feb.  6,  1798.  A  certificate  that 
Jesse  Head,  Esquire,  hath  taken  the 
oath  of  office  (as  Magistrate)  in  this 
county  was  returned  in  words  and 
figures  as  follows:  Jan.  27,  1798. 
Jesse  Head  appeared  before  me,  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace  for  Washington 
(county),  and  produced  a  commission 
authenticated  as  the  law  requires, 
appointing  said  Jesse  Head  a  Justice 
of  the  Peace  for  Washington  (county) 
and  took  the  oath  required  by  law 
previous  to  his  entering  said  office. 
Given  under  my  hand  the  day  and 
year  aforesaid.  E.  Trammell  Hick¬ 
man,  Justice  of  the  Peace.” 

“April  3,  1798.  Ordered  that  Jesse 
Head  and  Josiah  Wilson,  Esquires, 
state  and  settle  the  accounts  of 
Samuel  Grundy,  sheriff  of  this  county, 
for  the  years  of  1796  and  1797  and 
make  report.” 

“May  2,  1798.  Ordered  and  directed 
that  Jesse  Head  and  Benjamin  Piles, 
Esquires,  be  and  they  are  requested 
to  employ  some  person  to  erect 
stocks,  pillory  and  a  whipping  post 
upon  the  public  square  in  Springfield 
(Ky.)  for  the  use  of  this  county.” 
The  above  named  “Benjamin  Piles” 
was  peculiarly  gifted  to  the  making 
of  criminal  implements  in  pioneer 
days  as  appears  thus:  “Feb.  5,  1795. 
Ordered  that  the  sheriff  pay  Benjamin 
Piles  nine  shillings  for  making  a  pair 
of  hand  cuffs.” 


“May  12,  1798.  Washington 

County  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions.” 
In  the  appeal  case  of  John  Shackle¬ 
ford  versus  John  Davis,  on  an  appeal 
from  a  judgment  entered  by  Jesse 
Head,  Magistrate,  it  appears  that  the 
Appellate  Court  set  aside  as  void  the 
judgment  rendered  by  Jesse  Head  as 
Magistrate.  This  is  the  only  occasion, 
as  far  as  my  research  extends,  where 
the  Appellate  Court  upset  any  judg¬ 
ment  of  the  old  patriot. 


“May  25,  1798.”  Two  events  of 
especial  interest  in  the  life  of  Rev. 
Jesse  Head  are  recorded  at  the  above 
date.  In  the  first  event  he  speaks 
of  his  devoted  wife,  and  this  will  be 
passed  until  the  fourth  sketch,  where 
Jane  (Ramsey)  Head,  wife  of  Rev. 
Jesse  Head,  will  be  paid  a  tribute. 
The  second  event  is  copied  from 
an  aged  book  in  my  possession, 
entitled:  “Court  Martials  in  Nelson- 
Washington  county,”  beginning  “July 
15,  1791,”  when  Nelson  county 

included  Washington,  and  whem 
Virginia  included  all  said  territory. 
After  Washington  county  was  formed 
— and  it  was  the  first  piece  of 
territory  ever  named  for  George 
Washington — this  Court  Martial  some 
years  later  (after  setting  up  the 
commencement  order)  made  the 
following  order  concerning  Jesse 
Head,  to-wit: — 

“Page  61.  At  a  Court  Martial  for 
the  assessemnt  of  fines  for  the  fourth 
regiment  of  Kentucky  Militia  at 
Springfield  (Ky.)  the  25th  day  of 
May,  1798.  Present,  Major  Mathew 
Walton,  president.  Richard  McDon¬ 
ald,  Mordica  Lincoln,  Elija  Faris  and 
Richard  Berry,  Captains.  Charles 
Hayden,  Lieutenant.  Jesse  Rice  and 
John  Hays,  Ensigns.”  (Ten  trials 
-then) — 

“Page  62.  Jesse  Head  returned  as 
delinquent  is  cleared  of  (off)  muster 
role,  he  having  a  license  to  preach 
according  to  the  rules  of  the  sect  to 


(f 

delir 


which  he  belongs.” 

The  historical  significance  sur¬ 
rounding  this  ancient  order  invites  in¬ 
vestigation.  Like  all  orders  written 
in  early  times,  while  no  doubt  plain 
in  meaning  to  the  pioneers,  yet  its 
compactness  blurs  its  direct  under¬ 
standing  to  our  minds.  In  my  judg¬ 
ment  the  result  of  the  acts  performed 
under  the  terms  of  the  ancient  order 
— what  said  order  accomplished — is 
better  calculated  to  unlock  its  true 
meaning  than  the  frailty  of  its 
wording.  Many  readers  who  casually 
observe  the  above  ancient  order  will 
form  the  conclusion  that  Jesse  Head 
held  “a  license  to  preach”  as  an 
exhorter,  that  is  to  say,  in  the 
nature  of  an  appeal  to  the  pioneers 
to  forsake  their  sins;  but  not  in  the 
capacity  of  any  accredited  minister 
of  a  recognized  church. 

First,  therefore,  let  this  question  be 
propounded:  Did  said  order  of  “May 
25,  1798,”  in  terms,  undertake  to 
absolve  Jesse  Head  from  “off  the 
muster  role”  because  he  was  an 
accredited  minister  of  some  recog¬ 
nized  church?  Undoubtedly  so.  If, 
however,  Jesse  Head  had  held  “a 
license”  merely  as  an  exhorter  it  is 
hardly  consistent  with  sense  that  the 
Court  Martial  would  have  summarily 
ordered  that  Jesse  Head  be  “cleared 
of  (off)  muster  role.”  Webster  has 
well  said:  “There  is  nothing  so 
powerful  as  truth  and  often  nothing 
so  strange.” 

Second,  at  this  date,  “May  25, 
1798,”  Jesse  Head  was  29  years,  11 
months  and  15  days  old  (to  be  exact), 
and  had  it  not  been  for  the  fact  that 
Jesse  Head  held  “a  license”  as  an 
accredited  minister  “of  the  sect  to 
which  he  belongs,”  it  is  unquestioned 
that  the  Court  Martial  would  have 
ordered  and  directed  Jesse  Head  to 
continuous  service  as  a  malitia-man 
in  the  “Fourth  Regiment  of  Kentucky 
Malitia”  until  said  “delinquent”  Jesse 
Head  should  attain  the  full  age 
limit  of  50  years,  at  which  latter  age 
all  members  were  discharged.  As  an 
example,  in  the  trial  just  preceding 
Jesse  Head  at  bar  it  is  there  stated 
and  ordered  as  follows:  “From  the 
oath  of  Anthony  Stone  filed  showing 
that  he  will  be  50  years  old  tomorrow, 
it  is  ordered  and  directed  that  he  be 
cleared  of  (off)  muster  role.”  There¬ 
fore,  if  Rev.  Jesse  Head  was  only  30 
years  of  age  upon  “May  25,  1798,” 
and  had  not  held  “a  license”  as  an 
accredited  minister  “of  the  sect  to 
which  he  belongs;”  it  would  appear 
inconsistent  with  human  conduct  why 
the  Court  Martial  should  instantly 
absolve  him,  “cleared  of  (off)  muster 
role.” 

Again  note  carefully  the  beginning 
words  of  this  ancient  order,  to-wit: 
“Jesse  Head  returned  as  delinquent.” 
This  language  indicates  perfectly 
plain  that  Jesse  Head  was  coerced 
before  the  Court  upon  executed 
process — summoned — by  an  officer. 
Here  is  my  theory  concerning  this 
ancient  trial.  Jesse  Head  had  re¬ 
moved  from  outside  the  bounds  (or 
limits)  of  his  original  district  where 
his  farm  of  “50  acres”  was  located  on 
“Road  Run”  into  Springfield.  Upon 
his  arrival  in  Springfield,  and  being 
within  proper  age  limit  for  Malitia 
service,  Jesse  Head  was  cited  by  legal 
process  to  come  and  serve,  and  in  the 
event  of  failure  Jesse  Head  would  be 
fined  in  the  sum  of  “nine  shilling  for 
each  act  of  delinquency.”  Evidently 
Jesse  Head  was  within  the  clutches 
of  the  said  Court  Martial.  The 


question  arises,  what  saved  Rev. 
Jesse  Head,  who  had  been  both  cited 
and  “returned  as  delinquent”  from 
the  infliction  of  fine?  Exempted 
alone  by  “having  a  license”  as  an 
accredited  minister  “of  the  sect  to 
which  he  belongs.” 

And  again  this  idea  may  be  ad¬ 
vanced,  that  if  the  State  Law  and  the 
Governor’s  commissioned  officials 
gave  full  recognition  to  Rev.  Jesse 
Head’s  “having  a  license;”  why 
should  not  the  State  Law  acquiesce 
and  approve  the  concurrent  or  har¬ 
monizing  authority  to  perform  the 
rites  of  matrimony?  It  did  in  my 
opinion. 

Third,  Rev.  Jesse  Head  with  the 
utmost  fidelity  toward  the  “license” 
which  loyally  acquitted  him  before 
the  Court  Martial,  ever  thereafter 
certified  the  status  of  all  marriages 
through  the  official  ceremony  of  the 
ministry,  and  never  feigned  the  office 
of  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  to  seal  such 
sacred  and  holy  union. 

Fourth,  these  Court  Martial  officials 
were  selected  and  commissioned  by 
the  Governor,  and  all  records  faith¬ 
fully  kept.  Like  all  courts  of  record 
it  was  then  and  is  now  entitled  to  full 
faith  and  credit.  Therefore,  as  the 
original  book  exists  (in  a  fire  proof 
safe)  which  attests  Rev.  Jesse  Head 
as  “having  a  license,”  and  by  reason 
of  such  fact  was  “cleared  of  (off) 
muster  role”  20  years  before  full  age 
limit  cast  him  “off”;  so,  therefore, 
any  question  at  this  date  appertain¬ 
ing  to  the  existence  of  “having  a 
license”  in  behalf  of  Rev.  Jesse 
Head’s  ministry  at  once  relates  back 
to  the  said  original  book  and  duly 
authenticates  from  such  original 
existing  record  that  came  from  the 
hands  and  hearts  of  the  Court 
Martial.  Indeed  a  maxim  of  our  law 
reiterates  a  fundamental  principle 
that  an  ancient  judgment  stands  un¬ 
impeached  in  the  full  attestation  of 
its  truth. 

For  many  years  the  public  has  been 
oppressed  with  disparaging  remarks 
against  the  ministry  of  Rev.  Jesse 
Head — and  especially  ugly  stigmas 
hurled  against  the  status  of  marriage 
in  the  union  of  Thomas  Lincoln  and 
Nancy  Hanks — because  of  false 
rumors  of  a  mere  tradition  to  the 
effect  that  Rev.  Jesse  Head  was  an 
impostor,  and  any  marriage  attempted 
to  be  solemnized  by  him  void  for 
want  of  a  minister’s  license  of  record 
in  the  Washington  County  Court,  or 
elsewhere  in  any  court  of  record  in 
the  Commonwealth.  An  answer  to 
such  distrustful  demons  is  this.  Rev. 
Jesse  Head  no  doubt  was  given 
adequate  legal  advice  that  as  he  had 
been  acquitted  in  this  established 
court  of  record  and  before  commis¬ 
sioned  officials  of  the  Commonwealth; 
that  it  was  not  in  accord  with  justice 
to  heap  additional  costs  upon  this 
humble  pioneer  minister  by  coercing 
him  to  incur  costs  again  in  recording 
the  fact  of  “having  a  license”  in  the 
Washington  County  Court.  In  other 
words  one  recording  of  a  license  in 
any  court  of  record  was  deemed 
sufficient.  Also  in  pioneer  days  the 
Court  Martial  met  frequently,  while 
the  County  Courts  had  only  sessions. 
Therefore,  this  recorded  information 
was  of  much  greater  publicity  upon 
the  Court  Martial  record  than  if 
actually  recorded  in  the  Washington 
County  Court.  However,  the  “ordina¬ 
tion”  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head  by  Bishop 
Asbury  on  “October  3,  1805”,  will 
shortly  be  reached. 

(To  be  continued  June  10,  1921.) 


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ARTICLE  IN  THE  LEBANON,  (KY.,)  ENTERPRISE,  JUNE  10,  1921. 

Life  Sketches  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head,  Who  Married  President  Lincoln’s  Parents 

BY  L.  S.  PENCE. 


Since  the  publication  of  the  third 
sketch,  many  questions  have  been 
asked  concerning  the  123  year  judg¬ 
ment  wherein  Rev.  Jesse  Head  held  a 
license  as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel. 
It  may  be  interesting  to  know  that 
the  above-mentioned  judgment  is  the 
only  court  order  where  the  fact  is 
established  that  Rev.  Jesse  Head 
possessed  a  minister’s  license.  How¬ 
ever,  it  may  be  explained  at  this  point 
that  on  “Feb.  15,  1805,”  where  a 
marriage  certificate  containing  eleven 
couples  was  returned  by  Rev.  Jesse 
Head  in  the  Washington  County 
Court,  he  signed  this  particular 
certificate  of  marriage  as  follows, 
to-wit:  “Jesse  Head,  M.  M.  E.  C.,” 
meaning  a  “Minister  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.”  This  was  almost 
a  year  before  Bishop  Asbury  ordained 
Rev.  Jesse  Head  a  “deacon”  in  the 
Methodist  church. 

The  orders  as  contained  in  the 
Washington  County  Court  continue 
thus : 

“July  1,  1798.  Benjamin  Hardin 
and  others  as  ‘trustees  of  the  town  of 
Springfield  of  the  first  part’  hath  ‘in¬ 
dentured’  unto  ‘Jesse  Head  of  the 
second  part,’  two  certain  lots  situated 
in  Springfield,  Ky.  Rev.  Jesse  Head 
had  bargained  for  and  had  erected  a 
dwelling  house  and  was  living  in 
Springfield  in  May,  1798,  some  two 
months  before  title  as  above  was 
passed.” 

“July  3,  1798.  Upon  the  applica¬ 
tion  of  Abraham  Hite,  agent  for  John 
Hunter,  it  is  ordered  that  Jesse  Head 
and  Benjamin  Hardin  be  empowered 
to  take  depositions,  agreeable  to  an 
Act  of  the  General  Assembly,  and 
also  ascertain  boundary  of  lands  and 
for  all  other  purposes.”  This 
Benjamin  was  not  the  lawyer.  I  am 
of  the  opinion  that  Benjamin  Hardin 
and  Jesse  Head  were  brothers-in-law, 
although  unable  to  prove  such  a  fact. 
It  will  be  remembered  that  Benjamin 
Hardin  originally  pre-empted  the  “50- 
acre  farm”  situated  next  to  himself 
for  Jesse  Head.  This  was  on  “Road 
Run.”  Then,  next,  we  see  Benjamin 
Hardin  and  others  (trustees)  making 
title  to  Jesse  Head  in  Springfield, 
Ky.  Benjamin  Hardin’s  wife  bears 
the  same  name  as  the  oldest  sister 
of  Rev.  Jesse  Head’s  wife.  In  pioneer 
days  kinfolk  settled  in  groups  and 
knit  together  a  kind  of  uniform 
protection  from  depredations  of  the 
Indians. 

“September  term,  1798.  Washing¬ 
ton  County  Court  of  Quarter  Ses¬ 
sions.”  An  appeal  was  prosecuted  by 
Henry  Lucas  versus  Aaron  Vancleave 
from  a  judgment  rendered  by  Jesse 
Head,  Magistrate.  The  case  was 
affirmed  upon  the  said  appeal. 

“April  7,  1799.  William  Head  and 
Edward  Head,  orphans  of  W.  E. 
Head,  deceased,  came  into  the  court 
and  made  choice  of  Jesse  Head  as 
their  guardian,  which  fact  is  ordered 
to  be  recorded.”  The  whole  estate 
was  105  pounds,  and  divided  among 
8  heirs. 

“Jan.  2,  1800.  Ordered  and  directed 
that  Jesse  Head  and  Josiah  Wilson, 


Esquires,  state  and  settle  the  accounts 
of  the  estate  of  Burdette  Clifton, 
deceased,  and  make  report  to  the 
court.”  The  above  decedent  was  a 
brother  to  Baldwin  Clifton,  who  was  a 
pioneer  minister,  and  died  in  Nelson 
county  before  Washington  was 
formed.  Burdette  Clifton  died  at  the 
age  of  78  years. 

“April  term,  1800.  Washington 
County  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions.” 
In  an  appeal  of  James  Catlin  versus 
James  Whitecotton  (Revolutionary 
soldier)  the  judgment  as  rendered  by 
Jesse  Head  was  affirmed.  The  suit 
was  over  an  old  flint  lock  gun. 

“July  8,  1800.  This  day  came  Le¬ 
roy  Smith  before  me,  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace,  and  produced  a  wolf  head  and 
took  the  oath  prescribed  by  law  in 
such  cases.  Given  under  my  hand 
the  day  and  year  aforesaid.  Jesse 
Head,  Justice  of  the  Peace.”  At  this 
date  whoever  killed  a  full  grown  wolf 
was  paid  a  sum  of  money.  The  oath 
referred  alone  to  the  age  of  the  wolf. 
“Prescribed  by  law”  meant  such  fact 
of  full  growrn  wolf. 

“May  2,  1802.”  Jesse  Head  at  this 
date  was  “a  trustee  of  the  town  of 
Springfield”  (Ky.). 

“April  3,  1803.  Jesse  Head  was 
appointed  “a  commissioner  to  contract 
with  some  proper  person  to  erect 
posts  and  rails  around  the  well  and 
public  spring  of  this  town  and  make 
all  necessary  repairs  to  same.”  So 
we  see  by  Jesse  Head’s  energy  the 
hogs  were  fastened  out  of  the  town 
spring.  I  suspect  this  was  the  first 
industrial  order  ever  put  forth  in 
Springfield.  Understand,  may  it 
please  the  court,  Springfield  was  our 
capital  at  that  date. 

“June  1,  1803.  Jesse  Head  and 
John  Reed  were  selected  by  the  heirs 
of  full  age  to  divide  the  estate  of 
Thomas  Head,  deceased,  agreeable  to 
the  law  and  make  report  to  the  court.” 
The  decedent  was  jailer  of  Washing¬ 
ton  county  for  many  years. 

“June  10,  1803.”  Jesse  Head  suc¬ 
ceeded  Felix  Grundy  as  “president  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Springfield.” 
It  is  interesting  to  know  that  Felix 
Grundy  was  admitted  to  practice  law 
in  Springfield — his  home — on  “May  8, 
1795.”  I  suspect  at  the  above  date, 
“June  10,  1803,”  Felix  Grundy  was 
making  removal  to  Nashville,  Tenn., 
where  he  became  a  celebrated  lawyer, 
and  some  years  later  President  Jack- 
son  appointed  him  Attorney  General 
of  the  United  States.  Among  old 
records  once  belonging  to  Rev.  Jesse 
Head  can  be  seen  headings:  “Office 
Attorney  General  United  States.” 
Likely  Felix  Grundy  did  many  a 
service  of  friendship  for  Rev.  Jesse 
Head. 

“Dec.  10,  1803.”  Jesse  Head  ren¬ 
dered  a  judgment  as  magistrate  in  a 
very  complex  legal  question  concern¬ 
ing  “Jurisdiction.”  From  the  decision 
•of  Jesse  Head  an  appeal  was  taken 
to  the  “Court  of  Quarter  Sessions” 
and  affirmed.  From  this  last  decision 
the  matter  went  direct  to  the  Court 
of  Appeals  of  Kentucky,  and  finally 
affirmed.  Excuse  our  enthusiasm, 
but  Jesse  Head  was  a  “wheel-horse” 


in  legal  affairs. 

“May  20,  1805.  Personally  came 
Patrick  Morgan  before  me,  a  justice 
of  the  peace,  and  made  oath  that  a 
black  mare  now  in  the  possession  of 
Richard  Beall  as  executor  of  Margaret 
Beall  dec’d.,  was  given  by  said  An¬ 
drew  Peall  when  it  was  a  colt  to 
ailianl,  and  it  was  always  considered 
by  her  as  said  Morgan’s  whenever 
spoken  of  by  decedent  to  deponent. 
Given  under  my  hand  the  day  and 
year  above.  Jesse  Head,  Justice  of 
the  Peace.”  This  above  order  was 
a  good  “stagger,”  in  pioneer  days,  to 
our  present  day  “Order  of  Delivery,” 
as  defined  by  the  Civil  Code  of  Prac¬ 
tice. 

“Dec.  11,  1808.  Ordered  that  Ben¬ 
edict  Spalding  sheriff  be  allowed  one 
dollar  for  two  called  courts,  and  same 
is  ordered  for  immediate  payment.” 

(Signed)  “Jesse  Head.  J.  P.  W.  C.” 

“May  9,  1809.  Ordered  that  Jesse 
Head  be  and  he  is  hereby  appointed 
to  make  and  hang  shutters  to  the 
lower  windows  in  the  court  house.” 

“July  2,  1809.  Ordered  and  direct¬ 
ed  that  Jesse  Head  paint  the  window 
frames  and  doors  of  the  court  house.” 

“October  10,  1810.”  Upon  this  date 
Jesse  Head  as  “Justice  of  the  Peace” 
signed  the  order  book  of  the  Wash- 
ongton  County  Court  for  the  last 
time.  To  make  sure  that  the  above 
date  was  the  correct  one,  I  invited 
Hon.  Joseph  Polin,  of  Springfield,  to 
aid  me  in  this  research;  and  together 
we  confirmed  that  date  as  the  closing 
chapter  in  the  official  life  of  Jesse 
Head  in  the  Magistracy  of  Washing¬ 
ton  county. 

In  my  opinion  Rev.  Jesse  Head,  in 
the  spring  of  1804,  left  Springfield, 
and  returned  to  his  farm  on  “Road 
Run.”  He  was  compelled  to  make 
this  change  because  of  heavy  expenses 
of  a  large  family  in  town.  Rev. 
Jesse  Head  had  three  “orphans”  ap¬ 
prenticed  to  him  (likely  others  by 
gift  of  destitute  parents)  besides  a 
wife  and  seven  children  to  support. 
From  1804  to  “1810,”  the  date  he 
surrendered  as  Magistrate,  I  am  con¬ 
vinced  that  Rev.  Jesse  Head  did  the 
hardest  of  farm  labor.  His  signature 
of  date  “October  10,  1810”  attached 
to  the  order  book  of  court  indicates  a 
farm  hand  signing;  that  is  to  say, 
the  signature  was  hardly  readable; 
when  in  actual  practice  Rev.  Jesse 
Head  was  an  expert  penman  and  an 
able  accountant. 

In  “1811”  the  name  “Jessye  Head” 
was  upon  the  Assessor’s  book  of 
Washington  county.  Likely  in  the 
fall  of  1811  Rev.  Jesse  Head  bid  fare¬ 
well  to  his  “Road  Run”  farm  and 
permanently  located  in  Harrodsburg, 
Ky.  The  battle  of  life  was  always 
fiercely  waged  with  the  old  patriot. 
On  May  7,  1811,  “Jesse  Head”  owned 
“4  acres  of  land  and  3  horses”  on 
assessor’s  book.  After  Rev.  Jesse 
Head  located  in  Harrodsburg  his  son’s 
assistance  no  doubt  was  faithfully 
pledged  in  the  struggle  to  aid  his 
pioneer  and  patriotic  father. 

Jane  Ramsey  Head. 

Wife  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head,  deserves 


a  noble  remembrance.  She  was  of  an 
excellent  family  and  was  the  young¬ 
est  of  five  daughters  of  Robert  and 
Susanah  Ramsey,  of  Bedford  county, 
Penn.  On  “Jan.  9,  1789”  she  was 
married  to  Rev.  Jesse  Head,  by  the 
Rev.  Bruce,  and  it  is  altogether  prob¬ 
able  that  the  latter  was  Rev.  Phillip 
Bruce,  a  Methodist  minister  of  great 
distinction  and  held  important  duties 
in  parts  of  Pennsylvania  and  the 
states  of  Maryland  and  Virginia.  Rev. 
W.  E.  Arnold,  editor  of  the  “Central 
Methodist,”  acquaints  me  with  the 
following  facts:  In  the  autobiog¬ 
raphy  of  Rev.  Jacob  Young,  a  pioneer 
Methodist  preacher  of  Kentucky,  he 
says:  “On  Monday  I  left  this  de¬ 
lightful  neighborhood  (Junction  of 
Chapline  River  with  Beech  Fork 
River)  and  traveled  through  a  broken 
country,  and  put  up  with  a  gentleman 
by  name  of  Head.  He  had  a  very 
large  family,  was  a  clever  man,  and 
had  a  very  pleasant  wife.”  These 
words  “a  very  pleasant  wife”  was 
descriptive  of  this  splendid  pioneer 
woman,  and  no  doubt  referred  to  the 
wife  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head.  I  venture 
the  opinion  that  Jane  Head  had  fried 
chicken  for  this  itinerant  Methodist 
preacher.  It  may  be  of  interest  to 
inform  the  readers  that  in  1786,  in 
the  Nelson  County  Court,  that  Moses 
Crume,  (one  of  the  very  earliest 
Methodist  preachers  to  invade  the 
District  of  Kentucky)  by  order  of  the 
court  was  permitted  to  erect  a  grist 
mill  at  the  mouth  of  Chaplin  River 
with  the  Beech  Fork.  Moses  Crume 
was  a  minister  in  (Ky.)  Dec.,  1802, 
and  his  second  son,  Ralph  Crume, 
married  Miss  Mary  Lincoln  (aunt 
of  President  Lincoln)  daughter  of 
Abraham  Lincoln  who  was  killed  by 
the  Indians  at  Greer’s  station.  In 
May,  1798,  Rev.  Jesse  Head  was  be¬ 
fore  the  Court  Martial  at  Springfield 
as  a  witness  for  a  “delinquent” 
named  “Brazelton.”  It  appears  that 
Brazelton  in  Feb.  1798,  had  failed  to 
attend  “muster  role”  because  of  the 
fact  stated  by  him:  “My  wife  was 
suddenly  called  to  bed.”  The  delin¬ 
quent  had  Rev.  Jesse  Head  sworn  as 
a  witness,  and  Rev.  Jesse  Head  tes¬ 
tified  as  follows:  “My  wife  was  sent 
for  at  midnight  to  go  over  to  his 
wife’s  aid  and  the  weather  was  awful 
bad.”  Jane  Head  risked  her  life  at 
“midnight”  among  the  perils  of  wild 
beasts  and  savage  Indians  to  go  to 
the  aid  of  her  sex.  A  grand 
pioneer  woman.  Another  superb 
trait  of  this  excellent  woman  was  her 
affectionate  care  and  motherly  de¬ 
votions  bestowed  upon  the  “orphans  ’ 
sheltered  in  her  frontier  home.  By 
the  Court  orders  three  “orphans” 
were  apprenticed  to  Rev.  Jesse  Head 
(and  there  might  have  been  others 
without  any  order  of  Court)  and  Jane 
Head  with  her  prayers  ever  hallowed 
His  name  in  behalf  of  said  innocent 
“orphans”  that  they  might  be  useful 
men  and  upright  citizens  in  the  forth¬ 
coming  Commonwealth.  May  the 
blessed  memory  of  Jane  Ramsey 
Head,  like  that  of  her  eminent 
husband,  survive  all  ages. 

(To  be  continued  July  8,  IS 


Yy  IT  ARTICLE  IN  THE  LEBANON,  (KY.,)  ENTERPRISE,  JULY  8,  1921. 

Life  Sketches  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head,  Who  Married  President  Lincoln’s  Parents 

BY  L.  S.  PENCE. 


The  first  thing  to  be  done  in  Sketch 
5  is  to  answer  a  school  girl  who  asks 
for  this  information:  “Please  give 
a  description  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head.” 
The  University  of  Chicago  has  the 
only  drawing  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head 
known  to  exist,  and  through  the 
courtesy  of  Hon.  Edward  A.  Heney, 
director  of  that  noted  institution, 
valuable  information  concerning  Rev. 
Jesse  Head  is  directly  given.  “The 
picture  is  a  profile.  It  shows  a  large 
Roman  nose,  prominent  cheek  bone, 
and  slightly  sunken  cheek.  So  he 
was  evidently  tall  and  lean.  The 
forehead  is  high  and  the  hair  sparse.” 

Hon.  E.  A.  Heney  also  interestingly 
states:  “The  picture  is  one  of  several 
hundreds  which  came  to  us  with  the 
library  of  Colonel  Reuben  T.  Durrett, 
of  Louisville,  Ky.  There  is  no  note 
of  any  sort  on  it  except  an  ink  note: 
‘Rev.  Jesse  Head,  minister,  who 
married  Thomas  Lincoln  to  Nancy 
Hanks.’  ” 

Miss  Mary  A.  Stephenson,  of  Har- 
rodsburg,  Ky.,  always  conservative 
and  accurate  in  her  research  work  and 
well  informed  upon  the  pioneer 
history  of  Harrodsburg,  acquaints  me 
with  the  following  facts  found  of 
i-ecord  in  that  historic  town  concern¬ 
ing  the  Rev.  Jesse  Head:  “In  the 
original  trustee  book  of  Harrodsburg, 
dating  from  1786,  is  contained  the 
record  that  Jesse  Head  bought  a  lot 
on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the 
Harrod  Hotel.  In  March.  1810,  in  the 
same  book  mention  is  made  that  at  a 
later  date  ho  built  a  shop  on  this  lot. 
Jesse  Head  was  a  carpenter  and  a 
cabinet  maker  of  more  than  ordinary 
skill  for  that  era.” 

Mrs.  M.  E.  Sharp,  of  Mercer  county, 
has  in  her  possession  a  small 
mahogany  bureau  (about  18  by  24) 
which  was  made  by  Jesse  Head  in 
1836.  Mrs.  Sharp’s  uncle  obtained  the 
bureau  from  Jesse  Head  and  made  a 
gift  of  the  same  to  her  when  she  was 
three  years  old.  , 

Jesse  Head’s  first  shop  in  Harrods¬ 
burg  was  adjacent  to  an  old  stone 
•  house  occupied  by  Beriah  Magoffin, 

Sr.,  father  of  Gov.  Magoffin.  Later 
the  stone  house  was  remodeled  into  a 
tavern  and  the  Head  shop  presumably 
removed  to  another  part  of  the  town. 

On  October  10,  1811,  (one  year 
precise  from  the  last  signed  order  by 
Jesse  Head  as  “Magistrate”  of  Wash¬ 
ington  county)  Jesse  Head  was  elected 
a  trustee  of  Harrodsburg  to  fill  a 
vacancy  created  by  the  resignation  of 
George  C.  Thompson,  a  prominent 
citizen  of  that  period.  The  minutes 
also  show  the  fact  of  Jesse  Head 
serving  in  this  capacity  until  1815 
when  a  trustee  was  elected  to  fill  the 
vacancy  created  by  the  resignation  of 
Jesse  Head,  he  having  removed  from 
the  town.  But  in  1819  he  is  again 
mentioned  as  serving  in  the  capacity 
of  trustee.  He  was  re-elected  at 
different  times  until  1827,  after  which 
date  his  name  does  not  appear  upon 
the  records.  While  serving  as  trustee 
Jesse  Head  acted  as  chairman  of  the 
board  upon  frequent  occasions.  The 
residence  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head  for  some 
years  before  his  death,  as  ascertained 
from  reliable  tradition,  was  situated 
on  north  Main  street  between  the 
Norfleet  and  Harbison  property.  His 
shop  was  with  his  residence  during 
his  later  years. 

In  1830  Rev.  Jesse  Head  with  his 
son’s  aid  edited  in  Harrodsburg  a 
paper  called  “The  American”  (see 
Acts  1830).  Whether  or  not  the 
venture  was  a  financial  success  does 


not  at  this  remote  date  seem  to  be 
known.  Bascome  Head,  Sr.,  (called 
“printer,”  son  of  Jesse  Head)  had  a 
long  career  in  journalism.  On 
“March  20,  1886,”  the  “Harrodsburg 
Democrat,”  in  speaking  of  the  death 
of  this  energetic  man  said:  “He  had 
a  career  ‘at  the  case’  for  more  than 
65  years  and  even  in  his  old  age  he 
was  considered  the  swiftest  com¬ 
positor  in  Harrodsburg.  He  had 
many  warm  friends  among  the  older 
citizens.  He  was  a  son  of  Jesse 
Head,  a  pioneer  preacher,  who 
married  Thomas  Lincoln  to  Nancy 
Hanks.” 

Miss  Stephenson  concludes  as 
follows:  “The  Rev.  Jesse  Head  was 
an  important  factor  in  the  regulation 
and  upbuilding  of  Harrodsburg, 
from  the  most  reliable  tradition.  In 
the  County  Court  records  of  Mercer 
county  can  be  found  many  marriage 
returns  duly  certified  by  Rev.  Jesse 
Head.  In  that  early  era  above 
mentioned,  when  death  took  a  pioneer 
from  his  toils  in  the  community  of 
Harrodsburg,  the  Rev.  Jesse  Head 
made  the  coffin  and  preached  the 
funeral. 

Rev.  Jesse  Head  As  Minister. 

Tradition  says  that  Rev.  Jesse  Head 
came  over  the  “old  wilderness”  road 
into  Washington  county  and  in  a  few 
years  after  arriving  in  his  frontier 
home  began  preaching  the  doctrine  of 
Methodism  to  the  frontiersman.  How¬ 
ever,  the  exact  date  when  the  ministry 
of  Rev.  Jesse  Head  began  is  unknown. 
In  the  first  sketch  the  name  of  Rev. 
Jesse  Head  was  peculiarly  associated 
with  that  of  the  “itinerant”  preacher. 
This  was  error,  for  when  he  was 
ordained  a  “deacon”  by  Bishop 
Asbury  it  is  expressly  stated:  “Rev. 
Jesse  Head  a  local  preacher.” 

At  the  early  date  when  Rev.  Jesse 
Head  preached  at  the  various  stations 
in  Washington  county  and  adjacent 
stations,  there  was  no  controversy 
about  “salvation  by  faith”  or  “salva¬ 
tion  by  works,”  for  there  was  no 
confusion  of  the  meaning  of  the  word 
“faith.” 

The  Revolutionary  War  had  pre¬ 
viously  ended  and  Methodist  theology 
thus  fitted  in  exactly  with  the  em¬ 
phasis  of  an  actual  equality  among 
all  men.  Indeed  not  only  the  Metho¬ 
dist  settlers  brought  with  them  their 
religious  ideals,  but  the  same  year 
that  Kentucky  was  admitted  into 
Statehood,  the  first  Roman  Catholic 
church  was  established  within  less 
than  a  score  of  miles  of  Springfield, 
and  in  the  new  county  of  Washington. 
Also  other  denominations  in  this 
section  built  churches.  The  wonderful 
zeal  of  the  new  settlers  soon  had 
churches  established  in  various  locali¬ 
ties.  In  a  very  short  time  after  Holy 
Cross  church  was  founded  by  Father 
Wm.  de  Rohan  it  is  worthy  to  note 
that  the  officials  of  Washington 
county  had  a  county  road  opened  from 
said  “chapel”  (word  used  in  the  order) 
in  two  directions.  First,  in  the 
direction  of  Pottinger’s  creek  settle¬ 
ment  and  out  to  the  “old  trail”  at 
Leonard  Mattingly’s,  extending  on¬ 
ward  to  John  Lancaster’s  and  Joseph 
Dant’s  and  Francis  Mudd’s  planta¬ 
tions.  No  locality  ever  enjoyed  a  more 
enduring  friendship  or  excelled  in 
religious  influences  than  the  above 
section  while  Fathers  de  Rohan,  Badin, 
Salmon,  Fournier  and  others  piloted 
the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and 
stations  along  the  Rolling  Fork  river; 
and  the  ministers,  Terah  Templin, 
Thomas  Kyle,  Barnabas  McHenry, 


John  Harper  and  Jesse  Head,  who 
piloted  the  faith  of  Protestantism 
upon  the  other  hand.  The  new 
county  of  Washington — the  first  piece 
of  territory  ever  named  for  George 
Washington  —  was  cradled  in  an 
atmosphere  of  effective  influence  of 
Christianity. 

While,  perhaps,  a  little  off  of  the 
subject,  yet  I  want  to  say  this: 
Taking  the  many  orders  of  the 
County  Court  of  Nelson  county  from 
1788  to  1792  (when  Washington 
county  was  formed),  there  was  more 
enterprise  in  the  opening  of  “public 
roads”;  and  more  development  in 
erecting  “grist  mills;”  and  in  a 
general  welfare  of  “improvement  and 
upbuilding”  within  a  radius  of  15 
miles  around  Springfield  than  pre¬ 
vailed  in  any  other  section  of  the  new 
Commonwealth,  not  excluding  Har¬ 
rodsburg  and  Lexington,  much  older 
settlements. 

Rev.  Jesse  Head,  while  in  Washing¬ 
ton  county,  had  in  his  make-up  as 
much  of  the  spirit  of  an  apostle  as 
rested  in  any  man  wrestling  to  up¬ 
build  his  Maker’s  cause  in  a  primitive 
country.  Rev.  Jesse  Head  was  a 
man  of  “strong  character  and  not 
afraid  to  speak  the  truth  at  all  times 
and  under  any  circumstances,”  and  his 
sentiment  regarding  slavery  in  its 
earliest  agitations  was  pronounced 
against  such  an  institution.  And 
while  the  Assessor’s  book  in  Wash¬ 
ington  county  in  1794,  and  years 
thereafter  included  Bigger  Head,  W. 
E.  Head  and  Priscilla  Head  as 
enlisted  slave  owners,  yet  Rev.  Jesse 
Head  instead  of  holding  “slaves”  had 
“apprenticed”  three  “orphan  boys”  to 
nurture  and  instruct  and  champion 
toward  truth  and  earnest  manhood  for 
the  new  Commonwealth. 

Kind  readers,  Rev.  Jesse  Head  did 
lots  more  good  in  the  wilderness  of 
Washington  county  toward  a  fearless 
denunciation  of  wrong  doing  than  the 
world  in  general  ever  gave  him  credit. 

An  amusing  incident  in  the  life  of 
Rev.  Jesse  Head  is  told  from  tradition, 
how  with  his  oddity  and  thoughtless¬ 
ness  he  made  a  laughable  blunder 
while  preaching  a  sermon  at  the 
Pottenger  creek  settlement,  almost  a 
century  and  a  quarter  ago.  The 
incident  is  as  follows:  In  those  days 
pack  saddles  were  extensively  used. 
The  pack  saddle  was  a  rude  contriv¬ 
ance  made  of  the  forked  branch  of  a 
tree,  in  keeping  with  the  primitive 
simplicity  of  the  times,  and  when 
fastened  upon  a  horse  it  became  the 
receptacle  of  the  goods  and  chattels 
to  be  carried.  Pack  saddles  were 
extensively  used  as  a  means  of  trans¬ 
portation  at  that  era.  Any  branch  of 
a  tree  which  could  be  made  into  such 
a  saddle  was  an  attractive  object. 
Upon  one  occasion  while  preaching 
a  sermon  at  the  above  named  settle¬ 
ment  and  when  almost  at  the  climax 
of  his  subject  he  paused  in  his  sermon 
with  his  eyes  fixed  at  the  top  of  a  red 
elm  tree  and  pointing  up  said:  “I 
want  to  remark  right  here  that  yonder 
is  one  of  the  best  forks  for  a  pack 
saddle  I  ever  saw  in  the  woods.” 

By  the  peep  of  day  the  next  morn¬ 
ing  (which  was  Monday)  Rev.  Jesse 
Head  procured  the  pack  saddle  and 
was  off  on  the  “old  gray”  mare  for 
home.  But  with  all  of  his  blunders 
and  oddities  there  was  never  a  more 
energetic  preacher  to  uphold  good 
morals  among  the  settlers.  He  en¬ 
deavored  to  raise  his  country  by  the 
lever  of  religion. 

(To  b  finished  August  12,  1921.) 


■' 


»■ 


•  .  * 


ARTICLE  IN  THE  LEBANON,  (KY.,)  ENTERPRISE,  SEPTEMBER  16,  1921. 


Lmo  i  b 

ife  Sketches  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head,  Who  Married  President  Lincoln’s  Parents 

BY  L.  S.  PENCE. 


This  last  sketch  (No.  6)  of  the  life 
of  Rev.  Jesse  Head  should  have  been 
inserted  on  August  12,  1921,  but  on 
account  of  a  severe  illness  of  the 
writer,  the  concluding  sketch  comes 
one  month  later.  A  review  of  the  life 
of  this  earnest  and  pious  pioneer 
Methodist  preacher  has  been  a 
pleasant  task  among  the  researches  of 
Washington  county’s  early  history. 

The  Rev.  Jesse  Head  began  his 
service  with  the  Methodist  church  in 
or  about  the  year  1798.  Upon 
“October  3,  1805”  Rev.  Jesse  Head 
was  ordained  by  Bishop  Francis 
Asbury  a  “deacon”  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  at  “Houston’s 
Chapel  in  Scott  county,  Kentucky.” 
In  a  recent  publication  (1920)  entitled 
“The  Rise  of  Methodism  in  the  West” 
the  following  proceeding  concerning 
Rev.  Jesse  Head,  at  page  101,  is  out¬ 
lined  from  the  “Western  Conference 
of  1805”  which  reads  as  follows: 
“Date  of  October  3,  1805.  Who  are 
ordained  deacons?  Answer:  Jesse 
Head,  a  local  preacher”  (and  eight 
others.)  Rev.  Jesse  Head  was  likely 
a  local  preacher  and  not  an  itinerant 
preacher  by  the  fact  of  his  having 
such  a  large  family. 

The  ordination  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head 
as  a  “deacon”  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  by  Bishop  Asbury 
took  place  one  year  before  the  famous 
“marriage  certificate”  was  written  and 
signed  by  “Rev.  Jesse  Head,  D.  M.  E. 
C.,”  wherein  is  given  the  form  of 
matrimony  solemnized  between  Thos. 
Lincoln  and  Nancy  Hanks.  The 
recent  unearthing  of  the  ordination  of 
Rev.  Jesse  Head  by  Bishop  Asbury 
shows  an  authenticated  and  lawful 
right  of  performing  the  rites  of 
matrimony  was  conferred  upon  him 
through  the  Methodist  church. 

So,  therefore,  at  the  date,  “June  12, 
1806,”  when  Rev.  Jesse  Head  married 
President  Lincoln’s  parents,  he  had 
the  Methodist  church  authority  of  a 
“deacon”  in  addition  to  the  original 
right  of  a  “minister.” 

However,  it  appears  from  every 
certificate  signed  and  returned  into 
the  Washington  County  Clerk’s  office, 
after  “October  3,  1805,”  that  Jesse 
Head  used  alone  the  office  of  “deacon” 
in  making  returns  upon  certificates  of 
marriage. 

There  appears  two  certificates  of 
marriage  purporting  to  have  duly 
issued  and  signed  by  Rev.  Jesse  Head 
which  read  as  follows: 

“I  do  hereby  certify  that  by 
authority  of  license  issued  by  the 
Clerk’s  office  of  Washington  county  I 
have  solemnized  the  rites  of  matri¬ 
mony  between  Thomas  Lincoln  and 
Nancy  Hanks,  June  12,  1806,  A.  D., 
agreeable  to  the  rites  and  ceremonies 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
Witness  my  hand. 

“Jesse  Head,  Dn.,  M.  E.  C..” 

The  above  certificate  Miss  Tarbell 
used  in  her  book,  “Early  Life  of 
Lincoln.”  Both  the  Clerk  and  Deputy 
of  the  Washington  County  Court 
denied  all  knowledge  regarding  the 
above  certificate,  when  on  June  28, 
1921,  I  asked  to  inspect  the  said 
alleged  certificate. 

The  second  alleged  certificate  reads 
thus: 

“I  do  certify  that  on  the  22d  day  of 
September,  1806,  I  solemnized  the 
rites  of  matrimony  between  Thomas 
Lincoln  and  Nancy  Hanks,  according 


to  the  rites  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church. 

“Jesse  Head,  D.,  M.  E.  C.” 

Also  the  Clerk  and  Deputy  could 
give  no  information  whatever  regard¬ 
ing  this  last  certificate  when  in¬ 
terrogated  at  Springfield,  Ky.,  on  June 
28,  1921.  Every  certificate  was 

examined  that  had  been  signed  and 
returned  into  the  Washington  County 
Court  by  Rev.  Jesse  Head,  but  no 
trace  whatever  could  be  found  of  this 
last  alleged  certificate. 

The  marriage  bond  executed  by 
Thomas  Lincoln  reads  as  follows: 
“Know  all  men  by  these  presents  that 
we,  Thomas  Lincoln  and  Richard 
Berry,  are  held  and  firmly  bound  unto 
his  Excellency  the  Governor  of  Ken¬ 
tucky  for  the  just  and  full  sum  of 
fifty  pounds  current  money  to  the 
payment  of  which  well  and  truly  to  be 
made  to  the  said  Governor  and  his 
successors  we  bind  ourselves  and  our 
heirs,  &c.,  jointly  and  severally  firmly 
by  these  presents  sealed  with  our 
seals  and  dated  this  June  10,  1806. 
The  condition  of  this  obligation  is 
such  that  whereas  there  is  a  marriage 
shortly  intended  between  the  above 
bound  Thomas  Lincoln  and  Nancy 
Hanks  for  which  a  license  has  issued 
now  if  there  be  no  lawful  cause  to 
obstruct  the  said  marriage  then  this 
obligation  to  be  void  or  else  to  remain 
in  full  force  and  virtue  in  law. 

“Thomas  Lincoln  (Seal) 
“Richard  Berry  (Seal)” 

“Witness,  John  H.  Parrott.” 

Two  days  after  the  above  marriage 
bond  was  issued  Rev.  Jesse  Head,  at 
the  home  of  Richard  Berry,  in 
Washington  county,  Ky.,  performed 
the  marriage  that  united  Thomas 
Lincoln  and  Nancy  Hanks  as  husband 
and  wife.  A  copy  of  the  famous 
“marriage  certificate”  reads  as 
follows: 

“I  do  hereby  certify  that  the  follow¬ 
ing  is  a  true  list  of  marriages 
solemnized  by  me,  the  subscriber,  from 
the  28th  day  of  April,  1806,  until  the 
date  hereof: 

“June  25,  1806,  joined  together  in 
the  holy  estate  of  matrimony,  agree¬ 
able  to  the  rules  of  the  M.  E.  C., 
Morris  Berry  and  Peggy  Simms. 

“November  27,  1806,  David  Mays 
and  Hannah  Peters. 

“March  5,  1807,  Charles  Ridge  and 
Annie  Davis. 

“March  24,  1807,  John  Head  and 
Sally  Clark. 

“March  27,  1807,  Benjamin  Clark 
and  Dolly  Head. 

“January  14,  1807,  Edward  Pile  and 
Rosannah  McMahon. 

“December  22,  1806,  Silas  Chamber- 
lain  and  Betsey  West. 

“June  17,  1807,  John  Springer  and 
Elizabeth  Ingram. 

“June  12,  1806,  THOMAS  LINCOLN 
and  NANCY  HANKS. 

“September  23,  1806  John  Cam- 
bron  and  Hannah  White. 

“October  2,  1806,  Anthony  Litsey 
and  Rhoda  Pirtle. 

“October  23,  1806,  Aaron  Harding 
and  Hannah  Botts. 

“April  7,  1807,  Daniel  Payne  and 
Christine  Price. 

“July  24,  1806,  Benjamin  Clark  and 
Dolly  Clark. 

“May - ,  1806,  Hugh  Haskins  and 

Betsey  Dyer. 

“September  24,  1806,  John  Graham 
and  Catherine  Jones. 


“Given  under  my  hand  this  22d  day 
of  April,  1807. 

“Jesse  Head,  D.  M.  C.  E.” 

In  Washington  county,  Ky.,  from 
1805  until  September,  1810,  Rev.  Jesse 
Head  married  some  150  couples.  In 
Mercer  county  he  also  married  many 
couples. 

Twenty-two  years  ago  I  attended  a 
friend’s  marriage  at  the  Catholic 
church  in  Lebanon.  The  excellent 
priest,  in  the  ceremony,  stressed  the 
fact  to  the  contracting  parties  that 
God  had  planned  their  lives  and 
destinies  to  meet  at  the  altar  for  the 
glory  of  the  church  and  usefulness  of 
the  Nation.  I  believed  the  well  chosen 
words  of  the  priest.  Now  I  further 
believe  in  the  utterance  I  am  going  to 
announce,  to-wit:  That  Rev.  Jesse 
Head,  aided  and  directed  by  Divine 
influences,  traveled  over  the  “wilder¬ 
ness  road”  from  Maryland  into  the 
wilds  of  Washington  county,  Ky., 
to  become  a  “deacon”  in  his  selected 
church  where  he  officiated  at  the 
marriage  of  Thomas  Lincoln  and 
Nancy  Hanks,  and  from  the  union  of 
this  couple  a  son  was  born  who  should 
lead  a  Nation  from  the  shackles  of 
slavery  and  bondage  to  freedom;  and 
this  ordained  with  as  much  certainty 
of  Divine  inspiration  as  was  the 
mission  of  John  Baptist.  The  whole 
world  joined  in  a  spirit  that  the 
American  slaves  should  be  free. 

Rev.  Jesse  Head  never  lived  to  see 
the  achievements  for  humanity  that 
Abraham  Lincoln,  born  to  the  parents 
whose  union  was  cemented  as  husband 
and  wife  by  the  “deacon’s”  words, 
wrought  as  the  Chief  Magistrate  in 
the  moral  forces  of  this  Nation. 

Rev.  Jesse  Head  died  in  March, 
1842,  years  before  the  lustre  of  the 
mighty  Lincoln  grew  to  renown  and 
fame,  even  in  the  debates  with  the 
great  Stephen  A.  Douglas. 

Like  the  appearance  of  the  hand  of 
God  in  the  writing  at  Belshazzar’s 
feast,  we  behold  that  twenty-three 
years  from  the  death  of  Rev.  Jesse 
Head  that  President  Lincoln  penned 
the  Declaration  of  Emancipation, 
thereby  carrying  out  the  abolition  of 
slavery  that  was  set  like  a  flint  in 
Rev.  Jesse  Head’s  mind.  It  should 
be  made  clear  that  no  conflict  of 
human  obligation  and  of  Divine  will 
ever  crossed  in  complete  fidelity  to 
the  Nation’s  welfare. 

In  1908  Congress  erected  at  Hodgen- 
ville,  Ky.,  a  costly  memorial  to  the 
birthplace  of  President  Lincoln.  Con¬ 
gress,  however,  omitted  a  plain  duty 
in  behalf  of  Rev.  Jesse  Head  in 
failure  to  erect  in  the  public  square 
at  Springfield,  Ky.,  (only  a  stone’s 
throw  from  Hodgenville)  a  marble 
slab,  six  feet  wide  at  the  base,  ten 
feet  in  height  and  broad  enough  in 
surface  to  contain  in  full  the  famous 
“marriage  certificate”  penned  by  Rev. 
Jesse  Head  in  Washington  county, 
Kentucky. 

Rev.  Jesse  Head  was  truly  one 
included  in  the  noble  array  of  those 
who,  for  the  promotion  of  righteous¬ 
ness  and  truth  among  men,  did  endure 
hardness  to  face  the  trying  experi¬ 
ences  of  pioneer  times  to  give  positive 
proof  of  love  that  is  found  in  sacrifice 
for  humanity. 

Rev.  Jesse  Head  sleeps  in  an  un¬ 
marked  grave  in  the  cemetery  at 
Harrodsburg,  Ky.,  but,  in  the  words 
of  Lincoln,  “His  name  and  fame  shall 
not  perish  from  the  earth.” 


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